Sewing-awl



Patented Aug. 9, |898.

G. F. SUMMERS.

SEWING. AWL.

(Application l' Oct.. 7. 1897.)

(no Model.)

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GEORGE FRANKLIN SUMMERS, OF PLEASANTON, KANS/Xd.

SEWING-AWL.

SPECIFICATIQN formngpart of Letters Patent No. 608,926, dated August 9, 1898. i

`Appuauon filed come 7; 1897.

Z'o all whom, t may concern:

Be it lin own that I, GEORGE FRANKLIN SUM- MERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pleasanton, inthe county of Linn and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful prove the implement with a view to protect-` ing the thread or string in its passage through the Work, while insuring the proper -tensionf on the thread; and a furtherobject that I have in view is to provide for the use of eye? pointed awls or needles of different lengths, according to the thickness of` the leather or to the nature of the work to be performed.

Nith these ends in view the invention-consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand the invention, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which-- t i r Figure l is a perspective View of my improved awl. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the implement. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. on. the plane indicated by the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2A Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the use of theimplement in forming a lock-stitch in the thread. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation illustrating another embodiment of my invention by which the awl or needle is adjustably and securely fastened to the end of the needle.

Like numerals of reference denote like parts in all the iigures of the drawings.

l designates my improved sewing-awl in its entirety. i i

Briefly stated, the implementcoiisistsof a 5o handle 2, .the awl or needle', a socketed end piece et, a plug or closure 5 for the open chamseiti No. 654,452. on man.)

bered end of the handle 2, a spindle (5, and

a bobbin 7.

The handle 2 of the implement is constructed, preferably, of `wood shaped to the form shown by the drawings to provide a contracted front end and an enlarged part. In this enlarged part of the handle is formed a chamber 8 for the accommodation of the spindle 6 and bobbin '7,and said chamber opens through the enlarged part of the handle to receive the plug or closure 5. This plug or closure is constructed to fit tightly in the open rear end of the chamber, and it may be held in position either by frictional contact with the handle 2 or by engaging screw-threads on said handle and the plug or closure. The chamber 8 does not extend through the contracted front end of the'handle,and inthe solid wall closing the frontend of the chamber is fastened one end of the spindle (5.` This spindle occupies a central'fpositionwithin the chambered handle, and therear end ofthe spindleis fitted in a socket 9, provided centrallyv inthe plug or closure 5, thus supporting both ends of the spindle in place. l On the spindle 6 is loosely mounted the bobbin 7, adapted to contain the thread or cord to be used in the formation of the stitches in sewing the leather. This '.bobbin is free to rotate on the spindle as well as te slide thereon in theiact of removing the bobbin or replacing it within the implement. The bobbin may be of any suitable construction but I prefer to employ a bobbin in which the sleeve or hub is joined to the heads, as shown by Fig. 2. l

A tension-spring 10` is iitted within the chambered handle of the implement. This spring is preferably a coil-spring, fitted loosely y on the spindle 7, and one end of said spring bears against the wall closing the front end ot' the chamber 8, while the other end ot the spring is seated against one head oi' thebobbin 7. The tension of the spring normali)r forces the bobbin lengthwise on the spindle against the head or closure 5 of the implementhandle, and thus the bobbin-is confined between the tension-spring and the plug or elosure. The heads of the bobbin engagewith the plug or closure and with the spring with su iiicient frictional contact to restrain the bobbin normally against free rotation ou. the spindle 6, whereby the thread is placed under the desired tension and is prevented from pulling freely out of the chambered handle of the implement.

I attach importance to the peculiar arangement of the bobbin and its tension-spring Within the chambered handle 2 of the implement, because the bobbin and its tension device are housed entirely Within the implement-handle and the parts are out of the way of the operators hand in grasping and manipulating the implement.

The socketed end piece 4 is of cylindrical form and of a diameter corresponding substantially to the diameter of the handle at its contracted front end, and said socketed end piece is fastened firmly or rigidly in said .contracted end of the implement-handle.

The end piece 3 is provided With an axial bore or passage 11, a radially-threaded aperture 12, and a diagonal guide-eye 13. The radially-threaded aperture 12 opens into the longitudinal bore of the end piece, and in said radial aperture is fitted the threaded shank of a binding-screw 1.4. The shaft of the awl or needle 3 is thrust or inserted into the longitudinal bore of the end piece, and it is held rigidlyin place therein by the clamping action of the screw 14. At the same time the awl or needle 3 may be adjusted longitudinally within the end piece 4 by releasing the clamping-screw 14, adjusting the awl or needle to the required position, and afterward tightening the screw 14 to hold the awl or needly irmly in place. The guide-eye of the end piece is formed therein near the outer extremity and in a position diagonal to the longitudinal bore or passage of said end piece. One end of this guideeye opens through the cylindrical surface of the end piece, While its other end opens into the longitudinal bore or passage therein, and said eye is contracted, as at 13, to prevent the thread from being thrust through the extremity of the end piece 4. As shown in the drawings the awl or needle consists of a straight shank pointed at one end, as at 15, provided with an eye 16 near its pointed extremity and with a longitudinal groove or channel 17, Which extends from the eye 16 nearly to the heel or butt-end of the awl or needle.

The awl or needle is adjusted in the socketed end piece 4 to have its groove or channel 17 in alinement with the diagonal guideeye 13 in said socketed end piece, and in this position of the parts the groove or channel of the awl or needle is out of alinement with the radial aperture 12 of the end piece, thus enabling the clamping-screw 14 to bear upon ,a solid part of the awl or needle.

V13 of the end piece, whereby the thread may be carried in a straight line from the cham bered part of the handle to the guide-eye of the end piece, to the channeled side of the awl or needle, and through the 'eye at the pointed extremity of said needle. The closure or plug 5 is now fitted in the open chambered end of the handle in position to receive the free end of the spindle 6 and to bear against one head of the bobbin 7, thus placing the bobbin under tension between the spring and the plug or closure. The implement may be used in any desired manner similar to ordinary tools of this class; but it is especially adapted for service in forming lock-stitches in the Work analogous to stitches made by lock-stitch sewing-machines. To use the implement for this purpose, the thread is led out through the guide-aperture in the handle, through the diagonal guide in the socketed end piece, and thence through the eye near one end of the awl or needle, the thread along the handle being adapted to be held between the tool-handle and the thumb of the operator. The awl or needle is forced through the leather and the thread is pulled through the hole and may then be threaded in an ordinary needle, as indicated by 20 in Fig. 4, after which the awl is withdrawn, leaving the thread extending through the hole just made. A sufficient length of the thread is then drawn through the hole, according to the number of stitches required to be made in the work. The awl is again forced through the leather, carrying i the thread with it, and the awl is then withdrawn, leaving a loop in the thread at the side of the needle. The needle 2O is now passed through this looped part of the thread, thus passing the thread attached to the needle through the looped thread connected with the awlshaft, and by withdrawing the awl from the hole last made and by pulling on both threads a stitch will be formed similar to the lockstitch formed by an ordinary sewing-machine. The operation may be repeated as often as required to produce the desired number'of stitches proper to unite the parts of the work together.

In case a straight awl or needle is used it may be clamped in the socketed end piece to project the required distance beyondthe handle of the implement, and such needle may be extended or retracted, as may be desired, according to the thickness of the work, thus making the device applicable to Work of different thicknesses.

Other eye-pointed awls or needles of different lengths and of either straight or curved forms may be used according to the nature of the work, and in either case the needle or awl is held rigidly in the socketed end piece by the action of the clamping-screw.

I do not desire to strictly coniine myself to the precise construction of the end piece having a smooth socket, the diagonal eye, and a clampingscrew for rigidly and detachably holding the heel of the awl or needle in said socket-piece, because I am aware that other devices may be substituted for the described construction. In Fig. 5 of the drawings I IOO IIO

have illustrated a simpler device by which the heel of the awl or needle may be rigidly its heel externally threaded for a suitable dis-` tance, as indicated at 26, and said threaded heel is designed to be screwed into the threaded socket for the purpose of rigidly and adjustably fastening the awl or needle to the handle. The described adjustable connection between the aWl or needle and the end piece provides a joint which maybe used advantageously in other arts-such, for example, as sewing-machines.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is*

l. A sewing-awl comprising a tapered handle provided with a chamber and with a transverse thread-passage, a closure-plug fitted to the enlarged butt-end of the handle to close the open rear end of the chamber therein., an end piece fixed to the reduced end of said handle and provided with an axial needlesocket, an eye-formed needle iXed in said needle-socket on the end piece and having a longitudinal groove arranged in the plane of the thread-passage lengthwise of the awl, a xed spindle within the chambered handle,- a bobbin loosely mounted on the spindle, and a pressure-spring housed in the chambered handle and bearing against the bobbin, substantially as described.

2. A seWing-awl comprising a chambered handle havinga transverse thread-passage, an end piece secured to one extremity of the handle and provided with a needle-socket, and a diagonal thread-passage which opens into the needle-socket and through the end piece to lie in the plane of the thread-passage in the handle, an eye-formed needle secured in the socket of the end piece and having a longitudinal groove which alines with the diagonal passage of said end piece, and a bobbin mounted in the chamber of the handle, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE FRANKLIN SUMMERS. litnesses:

J. A. KEMAN, E. J. Binnns. 

